22 nothing a couple arrangements I was thinking of polishing off for myself. Also featured her in my own duets and also gave her a swell break when I would introduce her nos. I would in- troduce her as my protege Herta (I dropped her last name but only used Herta like Hildegard the singer that doesn t say her last name either because it is some name from Milwaukee or some place.) It went over. But little did I know. Low & hehold one nite before she wen t on she said to me she had to be good that nite because her boss & his wife would be there that nite. I said what boss, forgetting. She meant the boss at the real estate office where she sten- noged. I forgot she was still working there. So I gave her a big intro. and also gave her"2 more nos to sing than usual so she could impress her boss. W ell I tho't no more of it till the next nite she was there early & said she want- ed to talk to me and I said o. k. and what she wanted to talk about was dough and I tho't being innocent I tho't she wanted to pay me back the sums I ad vance to her but oh no. She said her boss asked her how much she was get- ting and sþe told him our arrangement what is yr. angle?" Meaning what, he replied. I said "Oh nothing but I sure do admire yr. nerve." Oh my nerve is o. k. he said. I have nothing to fear from a punk crooner like you. I said with a smile "Go ahead and insult me as much as you care to, Mr. Martin, but I was not referring to that All I was refer- ring to was yr. nerve the way you bro't your wife here to hear the little gir I friend the office wife sing." With that he burned and came at me but I had a bottle in my hand under the table all the time he was talking & anyway Lang stopped him. Not because Lang likes me any more than Martin but a couple people came in while we were sitting there and the joint use to have a bad reputaton for 3 shootings they had there a couple years ago and Lang was told to keep his nose clean by the cops if he wanted to operate in that neighborhood as they did not want more complaints. "Oh wen he is not worth brusing my knuckles on" said Martin and I laughed in his face and he went out. Well Martin has something on Lang o. k. because I found out from the cashier that Herta is getting 50 now. The nerve of this Martin, he still brings his wife to the joint and Herta often goes & sits with Mrs. M. and she is old enough to be her moth- er, so I guess it is one of those things where a woman would rather have her husband chas- ing around after young girls just as long as he don't get a divorce. You cant tell me any different. I see it all too clear why I could not move in on Herta. These "innocent" ones are the ones alright. If I was a little more in- nocent maybe I would be right up there get- ting 2 grand a wk. etc. Well Ted, give my love to everybody in 802 except about 5 000 heels that all think that all they need is just a little 8 piece combina- ton and they would have the best little band etc. etc. Drop me a line but be careful who you give my address to. PAL JOEY -JOHN O'HARA about me coaching her etc. So the heel went to the "owner" of the joint be- cause he (Herta's boss) handled the real estate deal on the property and knew Lang, the "owner." He found out Lang was giving me the 25 for Herta and so he wanted to know why I didn't give her the 25 and put ideas in her head that she should get the 25 less $2.50 for my commission. $2.50!!! my commission for teaching her everything she ever knew. Anyway I told her I said I had a little matter of a contract and that stopped her but the next nite who should come in but Martin the name of her hoss and Lang was also there, just be- fore the joint opened for the nite. I do not wish to bore you with the details but dont let anybody tell you they got rid of the muscle boys in Chi. because we argued pro & con and finally I got mad and said I have a contract with Herta and l\1artin said let me see it & I showed it to him and right before my two eyes he slowly tore it up. He turn to Lang and said "I guess everything is satisfactry now?" and Lang laughed. I saw I was licked as those go rills do not care anything about law and what was the use of me a stranger trying to do anything. Then I said "Mr. Martin just - "Y ou've been with us for thirty years, Morton, so from now on we'll address you as 'J. M.' "